Well of course if you did that here in London you might get arrested for
spreading litter !!
P
-----Original Message-----
From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Halvard Johnson
Sent: 11 October 2007 16:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Publication
All of which, of course, is why Lewis Hyde describes poetry as
a gift economy. Here in the Village I like sometimes to leave a
copy of one of my books on the steps of a house and see if it's
still there when I come back that way. It might be interesting
to sit across the street and see what transpires. Sometime, maybe,
I'll do that.
Hal
"I see my path but I do not know where it leads. Not
knowing where I am going is what inspires me to travel."
--Rosalía de Castro
Halvard Johnson
================
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On Oct 11, 2007, at 10:39 AM, Mark Weiss wrote:
> Not as much as one might think. I set up Junction Press' website
> (junctionpress.com) about six months ago, under pressure from a
> couple of poets who were convinced that it would generate huge
> sales of their books. Turns out I was right that its benefit was
> chiefly for their morales--I've sold via the site 15 copies of one
> book, all to people who would have bought it anyway. And despite
> very favorable comments on supposedly influential blogs.
>
> Here's a hint, with a hint of sadness. Readings in non-poetry
> environments tend to sell more books. A reading for a book club at
> a senior center, for instance, will sell more books than a reading
> in a series attended mostly by poets. Poets as a rule resist buying
> books, maybe because they're a bit overwhelmed by the quantity, but
> also I suspect because they expect to be given books. An example:
> I'm going to a birthday party for a poet who's well-known in NY
> avant circles. She was part of a conversation the other evening in
> which I mentioned Armand Schwerner's Selected Shorter Poems, which
> I published in 1999. This is essential Armand, the poems for the
> most part otherwise unavailable. She knew Armand, loved his work,
> but owned not a single book of his, it turned out. Guess what she's
> getting for her birthday?
>
> A bit more about the reception of that book. It was of course
> offered via the Poetics list at Buffalo, among whose 500 or so
> members Armand is something of a legend. There, as on this list, I
> discount for members (20% off). Result? Not one sale.
>
> Mark
>
>
> At 03:43 AM 10/11/2007, you wrote:
>> the internet also factors in, these days. can be an excellent tool in
>> advertising
>>
>> KS
>>
>> On 10/10/2007, M. Borges Accardi <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> > I agree. The best way to get poetry books out there is to market
>> them yourself.
>> >
>> > --Sometimes (if allowed), I have a table set up after readings
>> for book sales.
>> > If I read at a local bookstore, even a chain, I will call ahead
>> and ask them to
>> > stock the books in advance of the reading. If I am lucky, they
>> set up a display
>> > too.
>> >
>> > If the bookstore is an independent, I bring a bunch of books to
>> sell with
>> > a percentage going to the bookstore, maybe encouraging them to
>> stock copies for
>> > later sales.
>> >
>> > When I review poetry books in my local arts publication, I call
>> > the local bookstores ahead of time and tell them when the review
>> will be printed
>> > (so they can stock extra books in anticipation).
>> >
>> > it's an uphill battle, but one worth fighting.
>> >
>> > Mill
>> >
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>> ___
>> > Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL
>> Mail! - http://mail.aol.com
>> >
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